We are interested in blurring the distinction between the fabricated and the terrestrial; meaning the things that are manufactured by people versus those that are made by way of geological forces (e.g. rocks and landforms). We associate the former with the precision of industrial production, and the latter with the chance inherent in nature.
To make Secondhand Geology, we produced building blocks by way of an unprecedented process. Rather than making blocks with traditional stone or concrete, we worked with crushed stainless steel. The work reads as both irregular and highly refined. The crumpled blocks give the impression of an ad hoc stack when seen from the East, while from the West, the precise, planar cuts, made via industrial manufacturing processes, yield the strict geometric figure of an obelisk and the smooth surface of a geological core sample. They remind viewers of the processes at work on rock formations near Ellensburg. The texture of each block also contributes to the geology metaphor. The cut faces of each block were ground to a polished, reflective finish to highlight the formal differences in their sections. As a stack, the variation in their sectional qualities will reinforce their reading as being made of a distinct type of stone.
First, we compacted stainless steel in an industrial baling machine, and then stacked the blocks to form a column approximately 20’-6” tall. The shape of the column suggests a stone obelisk or a colossal geological core sample. We located the piece on the axis that runs parallel to the South side of the new science building and terminates at the center of Black Hall. This site respects the symmetry of Black Hall, reinforces the campus plan, and contributes to a reading of the sculpture as a kind of obelisk – a typology used historically to define points along an architectural axis.
The crumpled steel is a manifestation of the massive forces required to compact it. Each block is compacted with different material compositions that have different structural qualities. The shape of the individual piece of stock and the way it reacts when compacted produces different material densities.
We worked primarily with 304-grade stainless steel for the bales and plates, supported by 316L-grade stainless steel structural elements. This material is suitable for outdoor use; and it will resist corrosion as well as the effects of UV radiation. After baling and cutting the blocks, we removed sharp edges and loose parts, and then sandblasted them to produce a uniform finish that is smooth to the touch.
The blocks appear to be stacked atop one another; the plates in between producing a shadow line that accentuates their layering. We accomplished this by drilling four holes at the corners of each, pressing stainless steel round bars into them, and welding the bars to the interstitial plates. The blocks were then welded together into sections of four at the plate seams and “skewered” with a 1” diameter stainless steel tension rod, before being welded into one large assembly. The rod helps stabilize the structure, keeping it in tension and aiding in de/installation, but the majority of the work is done by the welded round bar and plates. The parts were fabricated and pre-assembled off-site and erected in Ellensburg with the help of a local crane contractor.
The scale and location of Secondhand Geology harmonize with the architecture and axial relationships between buildings on campus, while the unexpected approach to stainless steel stands out as a thoroughly contemporary statement.
